Policy on Special Educational Needs & Disabilities (SEND)

Date:Spring 2015

Signed: ______

Next review date:Spring 2017

Bussage Primary School is a Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School and this policy is written within the context of the Christian faith, practice and values which underpin our ethos, and which are in keeping with our Trust Deed.

SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL PROVISION

Policy Statement

Provision for pupils with SEN is a matter for the school as a whole. All teachers are teachers of pupils with SEN. The Governing Body, Headteacher, SENCO and all other members of staff have important roles. The Governors recognise that all children should have equal opportunity to achieve their maximum potential through a broad, balanced and relevant curriculum. We aim to provide a learning environment that helps all children to develop at their own individual rate within a happy school.

In line with the new code of practice

“A child has SEN if they have a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special education provision to be made for him or her.” The code of practice outlines that “a child has a learning difficulty or disability if he or she

  • has a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age, or
  • has a disability which prevents or hinders him or her from making use of facilities of a kind generally provided for others of the same age in mainstream schools”.

SEN Provision

Objectives

To provide for the individual needs of all pupils, and work towards allowing each pupil to maximise progress within mainstream classes where possible. Children with SEND are supported through class teaching with appropriate adult support, differentiation and interventions as and when necessary. “ We provide a rich and varied learning environment that allows all children to develop their skills to their full potential”. (see Teaching and Learning Policy )

To work in partnership with parents to address the needs and overcome difficulties of pupils.

To provide support for staff including the provision of inservice training to enable them to meet the demands of the Code of Practice.

To work towards a staged process for the early identification and assessment for pupils with special needs. To ensure that programmes of work are implemented and suitable records maintained. An individual plan will be drawn up, highlighting targets and provision for individual needs. This plan will form part of the ‘Assess, Plan, Do and Review’ cycle outlined in the Code of Practice.

To work collaboratively with outside agencies, e.g. Advisory Teaching Service, Educational Psychologists, medical services, social services etc. in recognising and addressing the needs of pupils.

To review annually the allocation of resources,

e.g. staff, accommodation, equipment and materials.

To monitor the provision for special needs during planning meetings, inset days and overall school planning, and review the effectiveness of the policy annually.

Staffing

As from September 2012, Mrs E Trim has been appointed the schools SEN Co-ordinator.

All members of staff, teachers and teaching assistants, recognise the importance of dealing effectively with children who have specific barriers to learning. They aim to:-

  • Provide ‘Quality First Teaching’ for all children
  • Provide a secure and stimulating environment in which children are relaxed and motivated
  • Incorporate detailed strategies for differentiation in their planning in order to cope with individual needs
  • Allocate sufficient time to each child for encouragement and praise, and to handle problems with sensitivity and understanding

The key responsibilities of the SENCO may include:-

  • overseeing the day-to-day operation of the school’s SEN policy
  • co-ordinating provision for children with special educational needs
  • liaising with and advising fellow teachers
  • supporting the class teachers when implementing the ‘Assess, Plan, Do and Review’ cycle of support for children with SEND
  • managing teaching assistants
  • liaising with SEN Governor
  • overseeing the records of all children with special educational needs
  • liaising with parents of children with special educational needs
  • contributing to the in-service training of staff
  • liaising with external agencies including the LEA’s support and educational psychology services, health and social services, and voluntary bodies.
  • ensuring that the child is entered on SEN register.
  • assisting in gathering information and assessing needs.
  • ensuring a plan to address individual needs is drawn up by the class teacher and agreed by the parents and child
  • Working with appropriate agencies if an ‘Education, Health and Care Plan’ is needed.
  • convening review meetings for all children on the SEND register.

Admissions and inclusion

Bussage Primary school admits pupils with already identified special educational needs, as well as identifying and providing for pupils not previously identified as having SEN. Admission authorities may not refuse to admit a child because they feel unable to cater for their special educational needs. Pupils with special educational needs but without statements will be treated as fairly as all other applicants for admission.All pupils with identified SEN will be treated as fairly as all other applicants for admission. Our admission authority, Governors, must consider applications from parents of children who have special educational needs but no statement on the basis of the school’s published admissions criteria. Such children should be considered as part of the normal admissions procedures. (Admission authorities cannot refuse to admit children on the grounds that they do not have a statement of special educational needs or are currently being assessed.)

Identifying Special Education Needs

( see Local Offer on the website)

If a child has an identified special educational need when they start primary school, the Headteacher, SENCO and the child’s teacher will:

  • useinformation arising from the child’s previous educational experience to provide starting points for the development of an appropriate curriculum for the child.
  • identify and focus attention on the child’s skills and highlight areas for early action to support the child within the class
  • use the curricular and Foundation Stage Profile processes to allow the child to show what they know, understand and can do, as well as to identify any learning difficulties
  • ensure that ongoing observation and assessment provide regular feedback to teachers and parents about the child’s achievements and experiences and that the outcomes of such assessment form the basis for planning the next steps of the child’s learning
  • involve parents in developing and implementing a joint learning approach at home and in school.

Where a child shows greater difficulty in learning than their peers, or a disability prevents a child from making use of the facilities in the school setting, then the teachers will assess and monitor the child’s progress using the ‘Assess, Plan, Do and Review’ process outlined below. This may highlight the child’s area of need in one of the following categories:

  • communication and interaction
  • cognition and learning
  • social, emotional and mental health
  • sensory and/or physical needs.

A graduated approach to SEN Support

Assess

Using teachers’ assessment and Foundation Stage Profile, children may present needs that require further investigation.

After discussion with SENCO and as a result of analysing assessment data, a child’s progress and attainment may cause the class teacher to put in place some extra activities or differentiated work. Parents may be consulted in order to inform them of the support arrangements being made in the form of ‘catch up’ activities. The impact of these activities will be monitored and assessed to see how the child responds and whether progress has been made. If the progress/attainment is still causing concern the class teacher may feel that further support may be necessary. This may result in the child being placed on the SEN register.

Once a child has been identified as needing extra support the class teacher and SENCo will invite the parents to attend a meeting to discuss the particular areas of concern and how the individual needs will be met. During the course of this meeting the parents will be informed that because the individual child is having extra support their child will be put on the SEN register. Any concerns that are raised about the register or any other area of the SEN provision will be discussed at the meeting.

Parents will be signposted to any relevant support agencies as well as appropriate areas of support. They will also be directed to look at the county and school’s local offer.

The decision to place a child on the register is the responsibility of the teaching staff including SENCo.

Plan

Individual targets will then be drawn up with the child, the parents, the class teacher and the SENCo. These targets will aim to ‘narrow the gap’ and will focus on the child’s needs and specific outcomes.

The child will have support as part of an agreed plan. The plan will highlight needs, outcomes, and resources and will be reviewed at regular intervals.

The class teacher should provide interventions that are additional to or different from those provided as part of the school’s usual differentiated curriculum.

The plan may include:

  • the short-term targets set for or by the child (consideration of age and ability)
  • the teaching strategies to be used
  • the provision to be put into place
  • when the plan is to be reviewed
  • success and or exit criteria
  • outcomes (record when plan is reviewed).

Do

All teachers will aim to provide ‘Quality First Teaching’ for all children. Once a child’s individual needs have been outlined they will receive both in class support where necessary, and relevant additional and different tasks when required. This may take the form of small group sessions or individual interventions set by the class teacher and reinforced during whole class teaching sessions.

The class teacher will set relevant and appropriate interventions and tasks to meet the needs of the individual.

If a child needs additional support from outside agencies such as the ‘Advisory Teaching Service’ or the ‘Speech and Language Team’ then a referral may be made in consultation with the parents.

We believe early intervention is essential so that these children may hopefully not require Special Educational Needs help for the whole of their Primary Education.

Review

There is on-going discussion and consultation between SENCo and all staff, as well as parents, to ensure that any child, at any point in their primary schooling, is identified and given the support they need to succeed and progress.

Meetings will be held with the parents, teacher and SENCo to discuss the impact of the interventions and the progress and attainment of the individual child.

As a result of these meetings the outcomes of the interventions will be recorded and new targets will be set, if appropriate.

If a child continues to show significant improvement in their progress and attainment, a discussion about whether they need to remain on the SEN register may take place.

If the child’s individual needs have not been met through ‘Quality First Teaching’, additional interventions and individual support and the outcomes of the ‘Assess, Plan, Do and Review’ process have been recorded and analysed, then an ‘Education, Health and Care Plan’ may be considered. The staff and parents will meet to discuss the complexity of the child’s individual needs and will discuss the involvement of the relevant support agencies. The staff will also consider:

  • individual plans for the pupil
  • records of regular reviews and their outcomes
  • the pupil’s health including the child’s medical history where relevant
  • National Curriculum levels
  • attainments in English and Maths
  • educational and other assessments, for example from an advisory specialist support teacher or an educational psychologist
  • views of the parents and of the child
  • involvement of other professionals
  • any involvement by the social services or education welfare service

However, the process for moving children on to ‘Education, Health and Care Plans’ is now restricted with the emphasis being on ‘in house’ support and only in exceptional circumstances would a child be put forward for statutory assessment.

If it is felt that the needs of the child are not being met through the additional and different activities provided by the school, or that the extra support is not sufficient, then it may be necessary to invite a Casework Officer to attend the review meeting. The Casework Officer may then offer advice about any other relevant services or be able to suggest a different approach to support the child’s needs. If it is clear that the child has educational needs that cannot be met without additional resources, then an ‘Education, Health and Care Plan’ may be necessary. This is a statutory document drawn up by the local authority. The SEND Casework Officer will arrange a meeting with all those involved in supporting the child to agree a list of outcomes which will form the basis of the child’s ‘Plan’. The ‘Plan’ will be costed to show how much each element of activity will cost to provide. Once agreed, the ‘Health and Education Care Plan’ will be issued with a review date.

Assessment Materials

Across the school universal assessment procedures will inform class teachers about the needs of the individual children. These may include baseline assessments in Foundation, termly assessments carried out by the class teachers and any additional assessments that may be necessary.

These assessments provide a picture of ability and needs of the children. This information is then used in planning individual targets for each child. The SATs and CATS assessments also demonstrate a measured level of attainment.

Foundation Stage Profile

Parallel spelling tests

Reading Progress tests

APP materials

KS1/2 Dancing Bears

Bearing Away

Apples and Pears

Bear Necessities

KS2Assisting Maths (Collins)

Daniel and Dyak spelling

Salford Reading Test

Working in Partnership with Parents

Partnership with parents plays a key role in promoting a culture of co-operation between parents, schools, LEAs and others. This is important in enabling children and young people with SEN to achieve their potential.

Parents hold key information and have a critical role to play in their child’s education. They have unique strengths, knowledge and experience to contribute to the shared view of a child’s needs and the best ways of supporting them. It is therefore essential that all professionals (schools, LEAs and other agencies) actively seek to work with parents and value the contribution they make. The work of professionals can be more effective when parents are involved and account is taken of their wishes, feelings and perspectives on their children’s development. This is particularly so when a child has special educational needs. All parents of children with special educational needs will be treated as partners. They will be supported so as to be able and empowered to:

  • recognise and fulfil their responsibilities as parents and play an active and valued role in their child’s education
  • have knowledge of their child’s entitlement
  • make their views known about how their child is educated
  • have access to information, advice and support during assessment and any related decision-making processes about special educational provision.
  • need to accept and respect the professional expertise offered when dealing with all aspects of special needs.

We aim to show positive attitudes to parents, user-friendly information and procedures and awareness of support needs are important. There will be no presumption about what parents can or cannot do to support their children’s learning. Stereotypical views of parents are unhelpful and will be challenged. All staff should bear in mind the pressures a parent may be under because of the child’s needs.

To make communications effective professionals will:

  • acknowledge and draw on parental knowledge and expertise in relation to their child
  • focus on the child’s strengths as well as areas of additional need
  • recognise the personal and emotional investment of parents and be aware of their feelings
  • ensure that parents understand procedures, are aware of how to access support in preparing their contributions, and are given documents to be discussed well before meetings
  • respect the validity of differing perspectives and seek constructive ways of reconciling different viewpoints
  • respect the differing needs parents themselves may have, such as a disability, or communication and linguistic barriers
  • recognise the need for flexibility in the timing and structure of meetings.
  • record all meetings on SEN sheet when communicating with parents.

The statutory assessment process can be difficult and challenging for parents. Parents should be fully involved in the discussion leading up to a school’s decision to request a statutory assessment.